The new director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries hopes to bring a new element to the BCM.

   Tracy Reed said he wants the BCM to be a place for students to come and learn about Christ. He also wants students to be able to have an organization to belong to and be an encouragement to the campus.

   Reed said he wants students to feel welcome when they walk through the doors. 

   “I tell my students to remember the first time they walked through the doors. Someone reached out, loved them and helped them find a place to serve,” Reed said

   Reed said he felt God leading him to collegiate ministries when he surrendered to the ministry at age 15, but never thought he would end up at UAM.  Reed said he happily came back because he thinks of Monticello and UAM as his home.

   Beth Dillard, first-year music major, said Reed is "lots of fun, goofy and laid back."  She said he does not have to control every aspect of the organization and lets the students decide how to do things.

   "He's the best director that has ever walked in the building. The number of people at the 88 Lunch, Ignite and hanging out at the BCM in general grew this semester," said Jeremaine Smiley, a junior criminal justice major and coordinator of special events for the BCM.

   Some of the activities the BCM planned for this semester include the weekly 88 Lunch Wednesdays at noon, weekly worship service Thursdays at 7 p.m., college student conference Passion '08 in February and March, a Winter Retreat in January and a mission trip during Spring Break.

   Reed said he moved to Monticello from Tupelo, Miss., at the age of 15.  He graduated from Monticello High School in 1995.  After he served at UAM for a year he went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas to earn his degree. He later served as Student Minister at First Baptist Church in Searcy for six years.  He served as the Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church in Crossett for the last two and one-half years.